Chad: A Nation in Search of Its Future (Nations of the Modern World: Africa) Hardcover - 1997

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Chad, the fifth largest country in Africa, has experienced great difficulties politically, economically, and socially. During the 1980s and early 1990s, Chad briefly held international attention because of its warring with Libya. This situation underlines Chad's potential for drawing its neighbors--Libya, Sudan, Cameroon, and Nigeria in particular--and to some degree France and the United States into its conflicts. For this reason alone, diplomats and scholars alike should pay close attention to the pivotal position this former French colony occupies in the heart of Africa. Is Chad the sleeping giant of Africa? What role can we expect of a peaceful Chad in Central Africa? What would be the repercussions if Libya annexed Chad? What kind of role has France played in this conflict? How do the Chadian people deal with this protracted conflict? What is the role of the northern leaders of the country? Are they warlords or committed nationalists? These are some of the questions that Mario Azevedo and Emmanuel Nnadozie raise and answer.The authors analyze and demythologize Chad's complex socioeconomic and political history as background for understanding its contemporary situation in light of the internal and external dynamics that have shaped the country. In addition, the book examines Chad's attempts at political and economic reforms and the prospects for entrenching democracy following recent elections. The roles and conditions of women are also emphasized. Based on primary and secondary sources, this book is by far the most comprehensive portrayal and evaluation of Chad's past, present, and future currently available.

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